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bsdInteresting how you can't see them or touch them yet words can be so powerfull.They can lift one very high or hurdle one to the depths.Once spoken they can never be taken back.One of the most distinguishing features of being human.Probably pays to be very carefull how we use them.Have a good one; h

Yishar koach on the thoughtful words of wisdom! I have been craving for wine all week, and I expect to fulfill it tonight and tomorrow with the following (in terms of Shabbat meals all I know that it's ALL MEAT and I'm not cooking this week, so I have more leisure time today):

Saturday lunch: Tabor Rosé, 2007; Segal Single Vineyard Dishon CS, 2003 (my second tasting - last week it was bottle #12/12 of the CS, 2003 blind tasting that I hosted at Wine Hall in Jerusalem, and it was actually the bottle that I bought and added very last minute; despite having never tasted it before, I knew based on its series and winery that it had to be it and actually wrote in my blind tasting notes as such exactly).

Best wishes and Shabbat Shalom, and a reflective and meaningful weekend to all!!E.Y.

Tzora Single Vineyard Shoresh 2004 - Score A-The nose on this garnet colored wine (100% Merlot) is laden with red berries, mineral aromas, cherry, and wood. The mouth on this medium bodied wine starts with tight tannins - though integrating and a strong and slightly complex attack of black cherry, and blackberry. The middle is filled with green, earth, and licorice. The finish is long and woodsy. This has changed since I last tasted it. If tasting blindly - I would have thought this to be a Cabernet Sauvignon. The licorice was a give away that it was not a cab - but still the earth, dense fruit, and cab like fruit - makes made do a double take.

Rothberg Cellars Winemakers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - Score: B+The nose on this muddied reddish purple wine is crazy and may well be the wine’s best feature. It is an enveloping nose and one that lasts all night. The nose is filled with strong ripe fruit fragrance along with cranberry, pomegranate, and fig aromas. The mouth on this very smooth and full bodied wine is fruit forward with ripe fruit, blackberry and black plum notes. The mid palate is acidic in its core along with soft tannins and a hint of chocolate and tobacco. The finish is long lasting with fig and cranberry.Beyond the technical details the things that stand out to me when thinking about this wine are:

* its acidic core * its smooth nature * its soft and integrated tannins * the lack of overpowering oak - this wine is assisted to by the oak, it does not define it * the muddied color and over ripe fruit flavors throw me a bit and lower the score * the wine is at or just over its peak - drink up and really enjoy. This is not one to lay down for even a few more months. * The wine felt like it was aged in French oak - no smoke or toasted spice just a nice and round fullness

Goose Bay Viognier 2007 - Score: AThis is an awesome and fun white. When we first opened it I was hoping for the perfume to overpower me and take control of my senses. However, the nose did not open up right away, instead the mouth was full of the perfumed fruit while the nose was hiding behind the mask of fruit and oak. The nose would open and so I will say that the notes here are from an hour or two in - with the difference being the deep and almost striking perfumed nose that showed itself later.The nose of this light yet bright straw colored wine was filled with classic Viognier perfume, grapefruit, apricot and citrus aromas. The mouth of this medium bodied wine is strikingly fruity while also being infused with the perfume quality. The mid palate is strongly acidic and laced with grapefruit, lemon, and green flavors. The finish and acidic in an almost puckering way. This in contrast to last post’s wine was not overpowering and it did integrate well with the wine.

Beyond the technical details - this wine too has some nice take aways for me:

* The wine has oak but again in a supporting role - like it should be * The wine is acidic to its core and here the acid truly integrates and lends a large assist to the wine * The wine is perfumed in a way that also balances well with the oak and acid * Finally, this too is a wine to enjoy now and for a few more months.

Tonight's wines are TBD, but most will be from 1998, as we get together with dear friends to celebrate their 10th anniversary. I've got some interesting things packed in the wine bag, but who knows which ones will get opened. Hopefully the '98 Clos St. Hune and '98 Albert Mann Gewürztraminer SGN will see the light of day though.

There behind the glass lies a real blade of grass. Be careful as you pass. Move along. Move along.

As is our frequent wont on Friday nights, a relatively simple drawn out meal with wines that we specially enjoy. Started off at 7:30 in the evening with a cold pasta salad (penne with celery, mayonnaise, kimmel and black pepper) and with that the 2000 Blanc de Blancs of Yarden; from there, after a break of about an hour, a cold vichyssoise and with that the n.v. Brut Rose, Premiere Cuvee of Bruno Paillard. Finally, at about eleven in the evening, cold salmon fillet with a sauce tartare and with that the 2005 Morgon, Chateau des Limieres of Louis Jadot.

I've been out of the loop for the last month or so, on vacation and busy at work -- I tried coming back to the familiar Stratsplace website and found that the universe had shifted in my absence. Well, I've recovered from my shock, registered on the new website, and here I am, glad to be able to participate.

This Shabbat we had the Galil Mountain 2006 Viognier. Light, crisp and aromatic, with hints of pineapple and orange on the nose. I wonder if the flavor would have opened more if we had let the wine sit in the glass for perhaps a half hour or more. Has anybody had any experience with this variety?

HiFriday night i opened the Baron E benjamin Rothschild 2005, ....i liked this wine ! nice brdx nose, med to full body, well made, fresh red & black cherry and blackberry, little wood and spice, nice and smooth all the way twards the finish it turns bone dry with a long aftertaste, just enough depth to make you like this wine but not overly complex,definitly a wine worth seeking out, by day we tryed the new Herzog Januesse 2007, a nose of Prunes dry figs and dates with hints of cherry .... iiiii dont know !!! maybe just a very bad btldid anyone else tasted this wine ???

Had some folks over and a good time was had by all. I must again stress (as I did on my blog) that please do NOT cellar Herzog Syrah Special Reserve wines - they are meant for drinking)

Herzog Special Reserve Syrah 2002 - Score A-This one was a bit more what people expected - and liked by everyone at the table. Again a deep purple color, and a nose of pepper, dark fruits, and tobacco. The mouth is very smooth, balanced and really has a nice fullness that gives this full bodied wine a good showing. The front of the mouth is layered with pepper, and blackberry. The mouth gives way to a fair amount of dark fruit, and then again to a long and peppery finish. Showing well, but drink up. This bottle had more pepper up front than on my last tasting.

Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2004 - Score: B+The nose on this dark garnet colored wine was quite nice. It was filled with blueberry, cherry, a hint of blackberry, and green aromas. The mouth on this medium bodied wine was fruit forward with blueberry, blackberry, and cranberry. The mid palate was complex with the fruit and the light oak notes intermingling. The finish was average length with red fruit flavors. The wine is NOT overoaked which may appeal to the anti Cabernet crowd. The flavors are not muddy, but they are not as crisp as I would have liked and though the wine is balanced it did not stand out in any particular manner other than being fruity.